What were you in for?

Fraud.

I have been digging around a bit and put the following snips into date order. I have assumed the press reports to be accurate on the ID of the new owners.

It has been suggested that this is the bid favoured by the RFL and rejected by the Adminstrator.

I am concerned but like many on here - nothing I can do about it. Particularly do not like the para lifted from a NZ newspaper site from 05/01/2013 and the links with Nigel Wood - sounds like dangerous cronyism at work to me... Can't stand the bloke and how he operates.

I have tried to be upbeat and failed - but we have an owner, a few players and a charismatic coach so I will buy a season ticket in support of Rohan and the remainder of the squad. Read on..

01/01/2009 Director Vinnie Weir demonstrated the concerns of a growing anti-Chalmers faction when he told the Sunday Star-Times he would demand a full financial statement at that meeting from Chalmers after claims the NZ league was more than $1m in debt.

06/2009 Harvest Pro, a Silverdale-based company, run by two directors – Zane Cleaver and former NZ Rugby League chairman Andrew Chalmers – was contracted to do a pre-harvest survey. The company produced an inventory and it is understood that on the basis of that report and advice from a company in Whangarei, the Council (now Auckland Council) decided to proceed to harvest even though the trees were still relatively young.

05/01/2013 Former Kiwis coach Graham Lowe is involved in a bid by racehorse owner Marwan Koukash to take control of financially troubled Super League club Salford.
Lowe has flown over from New Zealand at the request of Koukash, who has spent the last week negotiating to buy the City Reds.
He is also working closely with former New Zealand Rugby League chairman Andrew Chalmers and Ed Farish, a former finance officer of Australia's National Rugby League.
Both are associates of Rugby Football League chief executive Nigel Wood, who has helped broker talks with both long-serving Salford chairman John Wilkinson and Salford City Stadium owners Peel Holdings and Salford Council.

02/05/2014 Harvest Pro ceased trading last year, owing more than $25 million to creditors, although the joint venture was not listed as one of the 150 unsecured creditors.

31/01/2015 New Zealand league legend Graham Lowe's former recruitment company has been put into liquidation owing Inland Revenue almost $1 million.

Now a reminder of how these two are supposed to measure up having passed the criteria stipulated by their mate;

* Three-year budget forecast and proof of funds
* Details of the experience the relevant individuals have of running rugby league or other sports clubs
* Proposals relating to the recruitment of sufficient staff in order to be ready to start the 2017 season on time and whether the playing squad will be full or part-time;
* Completed Fit and Proper Person forms for relevant people;
* Confirmation that the directors/shareholders of the new company are prepared to provide personal guarantees to support their assurances that the club will complete its fixtures in 2017, 2018 and 2019
* If those fixtures are not completed then all central distributions paid in that season will be repaid by the club or directors/shareholders
* Proposals relating to an Academy
* Proposals relating to fans who bought season tickets for Bradford Bulls
* Proposals relating to the ‘RL debts’ money owed by Bradford Bulls at the time of the administration, which will be about £50,000.

Hope this turns out to be better than I think it will.

A great piece of work and really hammers home how corrupt this process has been. Nigel Wood gives the Bradford 'licence' to his mate and just expects everyone to swallow it. I give the Bradford fans more credit than that.

It won't get any better. Administration in a year awaits with more local businesses ripped off.

What did you honestly expect from this whole process? You had David Thorne and Marc Green trying to do a deal through the backdoor, Mark Lawn and JCT wanting to start in League One and then Richard Lamb and Damien Irvine with no money. No sugar daddy = no future. There simply wasn't a high calibre credible bid hence why Nigel has gone with his preferred option of Chalmers, a man whose business record makes Green look like a saint.

Surely if that happens then Nigel Wood will have to resign?
It will be interesting to see if any RL journalists do a bit of digging like you guys have done once the new owners are officially unveiled.

I beat Nigel to the canteen.

Lawn and JCT .... What might have been eh?

Except you only have a new owner. No players, coach or any other staff have yet been employed!!!!

My son came through the U16s and lately the U19s. I have a lot of respect for John Bastian and Leigh Beatie and people at the previous club. I share your optimisim that the truth will come out and disgrace Big Nigel and the RFL.

Stability, Money and following the proper rules of liquidation!

But again, choosing this bid after reading the research seems questionable and once again the RFL are saving face, instead of giving the RL what it wants (a stable Bradford club in League One) they need to keep us in the Champ for two reasons: Odsal Tenancy and to make sure their precious Summer Bash doesn't look cr@p.

How has depending on the funds of previous owners gone for you?
Its not a bottomless pit of money, use what they are willing to invest as wisely as possible. Not just throw it away on full-time players that will play 90% of their games against part time teams this year.

By dint of negative stories being more interesting to read than positive ones, I'm wondering if there are any businesses or organisations Mr Chalmers has run with any degree of success? The evidence suggests debt and liquidation follow him around like a bad smell but if that's all he has to show why would he be taken seriously?

I am waiting for the official announcement to decide whether it's worth supporting this new club and I think it's important to think of it in those terms. Unlike the previous administrations, this is not a continuation of what went before (which could be a good thing but should be easier to walk away from). I'm not sure there are many people ready to embrace this Phoenix operation lock, stock and barrel. If they're relying on fans to generate a lot of income then they may as well book Mr Pettit 12 months in advance.